


Poor Unfortunate Soul

by EvillyFriendly



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Bad Things Happen Bingo, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-04-24
Packaged: 2019-10-27 06:45:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17761805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvillyFriendly/pseuds/EvillyFriendly
Summary: Various Bad Things Happen Bingo prompts





	1. Helpless

**Author's Note:**

> Story for a Bad Things Happen Bingo prompt  
> Prompt: Cradling Someone in Their Arms

The world was falling apart around her.

Fire blazed and smoke hung heavy in the air. The castrum rumbled and groaned as it collapsed in on itself. What a somber victory…

Bellona sat on the floor of the Praetorium, looking around at the carnage that had been wrought. Destruction that the Ultima Weapon had brought about. This was the sort of power The Black Wolf would have unleashed against all of Eorzea had he not been stopped.

But the realm was safe now. The Ultima Weapon was destroyed. Gaius van Baelsar was fallen. And the Ascian Lahabrea was gone.

Bellona looked down at Thancred in her arms. He looked so weak and pitiful and had felt so lifeless that for a moment she had feared the worse. Immediate relief had swept through her when she found him to still be breathing. 

Ascian possession, it seemed was rather taxing on a mortal body. Dark circles had formed under his eyes. His face was pale and gaunt as if he were a man starved. And felt so cold even through the thick cloth of the robes he bore. 

His condition was poor but the man was alive. And that’s all that mattered to her. 

Unconscious and weak but alive—thank gods he was alive. Alive and free from Lahabrea’s influence.  When she had first confronted the Ascian, Bellona feared she wouldn’t be able to save him. That she’d have to—

Another groan from somewhere within the castrum and the entire building violently shook.

The woman sputtered a cough, smoke heavy air searing her lungs. The castrum would not stand for much longer. She needed to get out of there. But how? Everywhere she looked was engulfed in flame. There was nowhere to flee.

Trapped she realized. 

It wasn’t fair! She had fought so hard, she had done so much good, and this is what she got? Was this burning castrum to be her tomb?

Lahabrea’s threat echoed at the back of her mind.

_You will not leave this place alive._

“I’m so sorry…” The woman murmured, her arms wrapping tighter around Thancred. For it all seemed the most unfair for the poor Archon. Used as a puppet for the Paragons to do unspeakable things. And then faced with an imminent death shortly after being freed from their control.

It was cruel. He wouldn’t even get to live to see his freedom.

She had promised herself and Minfilia that she would save him. That she’d bring him back home safe and sound. And she had failed in keeping half that promise!

And she had arrogantly thought herself to be some kind of hero. Ha!

Now look at where such arrogance got her!

It was hopeless!  And it seemed no goddess’ blessing would come to her aide this time. Bellona and Thancred were trapped, doomed to burn amongst the flames unless she thought of something soon.

How she wished her companion was awake right now. Thancred was a clever man. He would have thought of a way to get them out of here.

Was this it then? Everywhere she looked, Bellona only saw destruction with no hope for escape. Would she just sit here and accept their fate? Wait for the castrum to fall atop their heads and crush them?

The Miqo’te had always been proud and stubborn. Giving up was never the option for her. But now…right now it seemed giving up was the only thing anyone could do.

She flattened her ears and looked up at the fire and destruction surrounding them. Was she really content to die here? Was she really content with letting someone else die here?

But what could she do?

What could she do but sit there and hope a miracle happened?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was originally going to write this a series of separate works. But after taking some time away from it felt that a chapter story would be easier for me to manage.


	2. Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A close call in the Coerthan wilderness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bad Things Happen Bingo Prompt: Falling Through the Ice

“Zephyr!”  Bellona called as she trekked through the snowy landscape of Coerthas.

Where had the bird run off to?

She had been out gathering, when something spooked her chocobo. She didn’t know what it was as she hadn’t seen it herself. But whatever it was had terrified Zephyr enough to send him running off somewhere into the Highlands.

And now she had to look for him as the chocobo was her transportation back to the city. She had already been searching for close to a half bell. And still there was no sign of him. How hard could it be to track down a single chocobo in the Coerthan wilderness? He couldn’t have gotten too far.

Even if he had been spooked by something, Bellona would have expected him to come back by now. But it seemed the bird was being hard-headed…unsurprisingly. The Miqo’te hoped it was simply that and not that something terrible had befallen him.

“Zephyr!” She called again. “Here…er birdy. Zephyr, where are you?!”

It was getting colder. And the grey clouds hovering in the sky did not bode well. Bellona recalled a skywatcher saying something about a blizzard before heading out. She couldn’t stay out here for much longer. And the more she wandered, the further she got away from the warm safety of any settlements.

 _A few more minutes._ Just a little while longer she’d look for her lost bird. And if he didn’t turn up soon, she’d have no choice but to head off without him. Hopefully, the beast would be smart enough to hunker down somewhere safe during the storm. Then tomorrow she’d go looking for him again if he didn’t turn up himself.

“Zephyr?” Bellona called out the bird’s name again. She scanned the snowy landscape for any sign of the beast. However, all remained still. It seemed even the native wildlife had gone into hiding in preparation for the coming storm.

If she hadn’t found him yet, then it was useless to press on. The only the she could hope for was that the bird turned up tomorrow unscathed.

Giving the snowy Highlands one last scan, she turned to walk back in the direction she had come from. She thought she recalled passing a small camp a while back. Perhaps the knights stationed there would be kind enough to allow a traveler shelter from the weather?

As she took a step, there was a sudden creaking sound and the ground under her feet trembled. Bellona went still. Her ears perked at the noise coming from beneath, sounding like crackling levin buried underground.

She knew the sound…it wasn’t levin though.

And it stirred up an old memory.

It had been when she was young back in Garlemald. She remembered a magitek machine had gotten stuck out on a frozen lake. The spectacle had attracted curious onlookers as engineers worked to get the machine moving again.

Then all of a sudden there had been a loud cracking noise that echoed across the lake. Followed by panicked shouts as engineers scrambled. Some of them heading back for shore, others rushing to the magitek, trying to move it while their companions hollered warnings at them.

And then it happened. Ice cracked and broke, unable to bear the burden any longer. In the last minute, engineers quickly retreated as the magitek was plunged through the ice…Though a few weren’t so lucky to escape and had fallen as well.

Bellona blinked the memory away and looked down at the ground. She must have walked out unto a frozen river or lake without knowing. So much snow had fallen in the previous days, that it had been difficult to tell what kind of terrain she had been walking on.

Slowly, she turned back in the direction she came from. No problem, she could just turn around and follow her footprints back to safety.

 _Just stay calm and move slowly._ She coached herself. Move too quickly and she’d fall through.

The ice beneath her feet shuddered and she heard a few more cracks. Her heart quickened and she paused until the noise stopped.

What a fine mess she’s found herself in…

And because of that stupid chocobo! If she ever found him again…

“Slowly. Slowly.” She whispered as she carefully took another step.

The ground seemed to be holding under her feet.

Another tentative step.

The ice broke.

It had happened so suddenly that she hadn’t the time to even react. Before she could think to move, she was plunged into the icy water.  

Down she fell into the dark freezing water. Jarring cold shocking her senses. It took a moment for her to gather her bearings before Bellona kicked her way up to the surface. The cold air an unpleasant greeting.  

Gasping and sputtering, in her panic she attempted to claw her way back up to solid land. As she tried to pull herself from the water the ice cracked under her weight. “No!” She shrieked, clawing at the ice as she fell back in.

A foolish move, she should have realized.

Stay calm. She needed to stay calm so she could figure out what to do next. Somewhere at the back her mind she remembered someone giving her instructions. Advice on how to get out of this exact situation. What was it?

_What was it?!_

Stay calm.

Already the water had her trembling terribly and she knew cold water was fatal in this sort of clime. Mere minutes could have her dead. And it was beginning to make it terribly hard to concentrate. To focus her thoughts on anything other than how cold she was seemed impossible!

She couldn’t feel her toes. She couldn’t feel her tail. She couldn’t feel anything.

Stay calm.

She needed to get out there now. Sitting here would only making things worse. She needed to get out or else she’d—

“Help.” She meekly called. Trembling so badly, that she could barely even speak the word.

Would there really be anyone this far out to hear her? Out in the middle of the Coerthas wilderness?

The Miqo’te shuddered.

“H-help.” She cried again, terror rising within her chest. “Someone please help me!”

Gods, she probably sounded pitiful.

And what a pitiful way to die out here. Especially for her—someone whom had faced off against far worse things. Primals, Allagan weaponry, dragons! And an unfortunate fall through the ice is what would best her?

“Someone please!”

It was useless. No one would be coming to her rescue. Not with an approaching storm. Sitting there crying for help was only wasting time.

Realizing she might be truly on her own, Bellona made another attempt to scramble up onto the ice. However, as she pulled herself up, she could feel it giving under her weight. Maybe it would hold? Maybe if she were less frantic it wouldn’t break?

_Please. Please._

Carefully. Carefully. The Miqo’te willed herself not to be so eager as she pulled herself up. Too eager and she’d fall back in. And if she fell back in, she feared she wouldn’t have the strength to pull herself back out again.

Her hands felt weak and clumsy as she struggled to drag herself out of the water. And for a moment, Bellona feared she wouldn’t have the strength to go any further. Her arms trembled, threatening to give out.

_Slowly. Almost there._

Somehow she managed to pull herself up onto the ice. And when it held, she allowed herself a brief rest.

_Don’t stop here, still not safe._

Just because it held, didn’t mean it would hold for long. She’d celebrate later. The Miqo’te willed herself to keep going, slowly dragging herself across the ground to what she assumed would be safety.

Bellona didn’t know how far she crawled or for how long, but eventually could go no further.

She slumped against the ground, cold and tired. Her clothing was wet and heavy against her body and howling wind made it feel even colder. She wasn’t safe yet. She still needed to get out her wet clothing and get somewhere warm. The coming storm was still a threat.

However, the woman couldn’t even bring herself to move. She was so cold and exhausted, and her limbs felt so heavy. And truthfully the ground felt strangely comfortable.  

She was safe. And now she just needed to rest for a moment. Just for a few minutes to regain her strength. Just for a few minutes she’d shut her eyes…

_“Hello?!”_

A voice? Surely it was only a part of her imagination? No one would be this far out. Even if there were, she didn’t have the strength to call out.

_“Hello?! is someone out there?!”_

Her eyes fluttered open. 

She was dreaming. She had to be dreaming. 

Something--someone in the distance approaching. 

She couldn’t be sure. Everything was getting so dark...

 


	3. Even Warriors Need Rest...Even If They Won't Admit It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellona never liked being confined to bed. It only meant bitter smelling medicines and even more bitter chirurgeons...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Confined to Bedrest

She always hated the smell of infirmaries. The strange stench of chirurgeon concoctions and potions always hung heavy in the air. It was an overpowering scent that always left her nose burning. And the smell always clung to clothing. Even a brief visit to an infirmary left one smelling of it.

“What were you thinking trying to get out of bed so soon?” Yapped the healer who was tending to her. “You could have irritated your injuries!” Though for all her talk about the adventurer irritating her injuries, she was none too gentle as she redressed them. Seeming not to care whenever her patient flinched or hissed in pain.

Bellona had mostly tuned the woman out, ignoring her nagging and choosing to stare out the window. She felt a twinge in her chest as she longed for the freedom of the outdoors.

It had been a few days since victory had been claimed in Ala Mhigo. And though the spirit of celebration had been strong in the air, the Alliance first sought to tend to their wounded.

Bellona herself had not walked away unscathed in her battle with Zenos and his pet wyrm.  Alive but badly battered, it was surprising the woman even possessed the strength to stand.

She had protested treatment at first, claiming that her fight with Shinryu hadn’t left her terribly wounded. She had been hurt plenty of times before and as long as she could walk, the woman believed she’d be fine. But at the pleading of Alphinaud, she eventually allowed the healers to tend to her injuries. And they determined that her recovery would have to involve a few days of bed rest—much to her distaste.

Days confined to bed, being fussed over by healers. It was annoying being treated so fragile just because of a few cuts and bruises. Her injuries were mild at most, nothing too debilitating. There were others far more injured than her whom would benefit more from a chirurgeon’s care. She didn’t need to be here.

Sitting around in itchy, gauze bandages with nothing to do didn’t feel right! She felt like she needed to be doing something more. Helping somehow. Her own hurts didn’t matter if there were others suffering just as much.

She felt so weak and pitiful sitting here for hours.

And after finally gaining some peace from her harriers, Bellona thought she had a chance to escape it all. Though the moment she tried to get up, she felt a stabbing pain. Sudden and sharp it had sent the woman to her knees. Gasping, she sat there a long time, waiting for it to subside. It wasn’t very often that something hurt so bad that she actually saw stars.

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been sitting there before one of the healers came in to check on her. They had gotten her back into to bed, but not without scolding her the entire time. Rebuking her for not heeding their instructions. Bedrest meant bedrest. No exceptions—not even for her.

“I believe even young Master Alphinaud made it clear that you were not to go anywhere until your wounds had mended properly.” The healer continued her lecture. “I have nephews half your age that are less fussy than you! Why, I have half a mind to give you a sleep tonic so potent, you sleep for a fortnight. Just to keep you bloody still for once!”

“Ow!” Bellona suddenly winced, flinching away from the healer. The Miqo’te shot the woman a reproachful look. “Seven hells, that hurts. Do you have to to be so ungentle?”

She found another annoyed glare meeting her own. “I’ll return within the next bell, Mistress Marcellus. And I better find you where I have left you or I will not hesitate in carrying out my threat.” She warned. “You may not think you need to be here, but I know more about these things than you do. And with injuries like yours, you will need proper rest. Am I understood?”

Bellona stubbornly pinned her ears back. The healer could make all the threats she wanted, she would not be intimidated. She so badly wanted to give the woman a snippy remark but bit it back. Arguing would only give her reason to linger even longer.

“Understood.” She instead said through gritted teeth.

Gods how much longer would she have to put up with this?


End file.
